What Are Your Spiritual Goals?

If you have dedicated your life to Jehovah, your expressed desire is to serve Jehovah forever. But what are your spiritual goals along the way? Having spiritual goals will help you to direct your energies and other resources wisely. (1 Cor. 9:26) You will be able to aim for something worthwhile. Such goals are conducive to spiritual growth and will help you to concentrate on the more important things as you reach out for additional service privileges.​—Phil. 1:10; 1 Tim. 4:15, 16.

In his illustration of the sower, Jesus emphasized that good soil produces varying amounts of fruitage. He said: “As for the one sown upon the fine soil, this is the one hearing the word and getting the sense of it, who really does bear fruit and produces, this one a hundredfold, that one sixty, the other thirty.” (Matt. 13:23) If we have got the sense of the word in our heart, should we not exert ourselves so as to produce abundant fruitage to Jehovah’s praise? Do we not want to bear much Kingdom fruitage as we zealously share in the ministry? And do we not want to produce abundantly the fruitage of God’s spirit in our life every day? (John 15:2, 3; Gal. 5:22, 23) Having spiritual goals can help us do all of that.

The apostle Paul set a fine example for us to imitate in our service to God. (1 Cor. 11:1) Paul exerted himself vigorously in serving Jehovah to the very best of his ability. He recognized that Jehovah’s service provided him with many opportunities. To the brothers in Corinth, Paul wrote: “A large door that leads to activity has been opened to me.” Is this not true in our case also? Are there not many opportunities for us to serve Jehovah in association with the congregation, especially in preaching the Kingdom good news? But like Paul, we must keep in mind that going through that “large door” involves contending with “many opposers.” (1 Cor. 16:9) Paul was willing to discipline himself consistently, even as would an athlete whose heart’s desire was to win a crown in the games, a crown that would quickly fade. Notice what Paul said: “I pummel my body and lead it as a slave.” (1 Cor. 9:24-27) Are we of that same mind?

Many are serving as missionaries today because with encouragement from their parents and others, they set Gilead training and missionary work as a theocratic goal early in life, even while they were yet children. Similarly, many now serving at Bethel set Bethel service as a goal, either while they were very young or when they first became acquainted with the good news and learned about this special privilege of service.

According to differing personal circumstances in life, each one is encouraged to work toward theocratic goals. Some goals might be participating in field service each week, starting and conducting a home Bible study, making more time to prepare for congregation meetings, enrolling as an auxiliary or a regular pioneer, serving where the need is greater, constructing Kingdom Halls and Assembly Halls, serving at Bethel or in the missionary field. Of course, at congregation meetings, at conventions, and in the publications of Jehovah’s Witnesses, attention may be drawn to other theocratic goals that you, according to your own personal circumstances, may want to consider and strive to reach. The important thing is that you remain steadfast and fully accomplish your ministry. If you do, you will honor God and reach your ultimate goal, that of serving Jehovah forever.​—Luke 13:24; 1 Tim. 4:7b, 8.